Dogs lost for 8 days found and returned home

Near Estes Park, two Springer Spaniel dogs had been gone for eight days before being rescued.

John and Diane Roehl don't have children.

"They really are our family," Diane said.

The Roehls rescued the two Springer spaniel dogs, Cooper and Tibby, nearly four years ago. Since then, the dogs have found ways to run away from home multiple times by damaging the fence or getting around it somehow.

But they would always come back, and usually within an hour or two.

"They are so bonded to one another," Diane said.

Which is why, when the dogs got out on November 9 and didn't return right away, she knew they were together -- even if they weren't home.

"We did everything we could to find the dogs, [including] driving around, whistling, posters, informing people," John said.

Eight days passed.

John estimates the dogs were found anywhere between five to 10 miles from the house.

Two hunters drove by the dogs on the side of a dirt road. The hunters thought the dogs were in such poor shape that they might not survive the night.

"Tibby was so weak that he could not lift his head, and Copper was growling and barking at the hunters trying to protect Tibby," Diane said.

The men offered the dogs food and then were able to bring Cooper and Tibby back.

"I cried more after they got home than I did when they were gone," Diane said.
"A miracle, it is a miracle," John said.

9NEWS wanted to speak with the Roehls about the miracle on Monday, but upon arrival the Roehls didn't even want to talk about the story anymore.

It turns out, the dogs had found a way to run away again early that afternoon.

They got under the chain link fence and were able to push over the door, which had been installed improperly by someone the couple had hired.

Thankfully, the dogs soon returned on their own - minutes after 9NEWS arrived, in fact.

The holiday miracle was still intact.

The Roehls plan to fix the fence, and maybe even put up an electric fence, to reduce the risk of ever losing their beloved dogs again.